Latch tripping mechanisms



Dec. 27, 1955 R. E. JONES 2,723,471

LATCH TRIPPING MECHANISMS Filed Nov. 13, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1955 R. E. JONES 2,728,471

LATCH TRIPPING MECHANISMS Filed Nov. 13, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR e] 1 Haber E. Jones 'j ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1955 R. E. JONES 2,728,471

LATCH TRIPPING MECHANISMS Filed Nov. 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR Hober E Jones :WQ/WLMi@ ATTORNEYS nited States Patent F LATCH TRIPPING MECHANISMS Robert E. Jones, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to rElle Sanford Investment Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 13, 1952, Serial No. 320,190 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-58) 'This invention relates to improvements in latch tripping mechanisms, particularly for mine cars and other conveying devices having drop bottom doors for discharge of the lading therefrom.

This invention is an improvement on the latch tripping mechanism set forth in the application of Alfred F.

Sanford II, Serial No. 161,589, filed May 12, 1950, now Patent No. 2,675,135, and also on the latch tripping mechanism set forth in the patent of Hugh W. Sanford, No. 2,399,708, granted May 7, 1946.

In the car or conveying device set forth in the abovementioned Patent No. 2,399,708, the drop bottom doors were held closed by latch means located at the free edge of the rearward door in protected Vposition relative to the frame structure of the car. Tripping means was provided which would reach up under the car into enmounted in the trackway for up and down swinging.

movement relative thereto.

The tripping member is located in a relatively stationary position and is engaged with considerable force by the latch release means on the car or conveyor as the latter moves over the tripping member. At the same time the space into which the tripping member must extend, and the character of its engagement with the latch release means, are restricted appreciably so as to make it desirable to use a latch release member of relatively small dimensions at the point where this member engages the latch release means.

One object of this invention is to improve the construction of the tripping mechanismto provide for the use of a loop-type tripping member so constructed as to be sturdy and rigid against danger of breakage in service or undue wear and at the same time of suiciently reduced size at the point of engagement with the latch release means as to ensure of positive release thereof without undue bulkiness or cumbersome action.

A further object of the invention is to provide for secure bracing of a loop-type tripping member which will allow the member to be of relatively reduced size and yet be sufliciently sturdy and rigid in service against danger of breakage or undue wear.

Still another object of the invention is to improve the mounting and construction of the tripping member to provide for the effective action of this member in riding along the under surface of the car or other conveying device as the latter moves thereover, and to ensure of 2,728,471 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 positive action in engaging the latch means or latch release mechanism to release the lading at the desired point.

These objects may be accomplished according to certain embodiments of the invention by means of a looptype tripping member pivotally supported by mechanism adapted to be mounted in the trackway and having a reinforcing or strengthening portion connected therewith so as to permit the use of a relatively small tripping member, which nevertheless is adequately braced or strengthened to ensure of positive operation without undue wear or breakage in service. A loop-type member may be used which has opposite sides that may be strengthened by reinforcing sleeves applied thereover, or by lateral ribs thereon, or otherwise suitably braced particularly at the point of connection with the pivot shaft thereof so that this member, being of reduced size, nevertheless will not wear or break unduly in service. The pivot shaft is mounted on an arm carried by a supporting plate in the trackway, which arm is pivotally and yieldably held in upward position, and the tripping member itself is also yieldably urged upward in the path of the conveyor passing thereover so as to ensure proper operation. The mounting in the trackway supports the tripping member securely and effectively, and yet it permits of ready removal thereof, when desired, for replacement or repair.

Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

' Fig. l is a side elevation of a mine car and latch tripping mechanism consisting of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough showing the latch in engaged position and taken substantially in the line 2-2 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 2a is a detail cross-section through the tripper and its mounting shaft; Y

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the latch tripping mechamsm;

Fig. 3a is a detail section through the hanger member;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section therethrough, partly in elevation and taken on the line 4--4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. Sis a side elevation of a modified form of tripping member;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another modified form of tripping member; y

Fig. 8 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of still another modified form of tripping member; and

Fig 10 is a front elevation thereof.

This invention is shown as applied to a mine car of the general type set forth in the prior patent, No. 2,399,708,

granted May 7, 1946, adapted for conveying coal or other loose lading from a receiving point to a tipple or other point of discharge. The mine car is shown to be of the -fi-wheel type, having three drop bottom doors interconnected for release in one-two-three order. This application of the invention is used,'however, merely for purpose of illustration, and it is evident that the subject matterof this 'invention may be applied to other types of cars, vehicles, and drop bottom conveyors in general, wherever it may be desirable to release bottom doors for dropping, in which the principle of this invention may be applicable.

The general structure of the car illustrated comprises a car body formed of side and end walls 1 and 2, rigidly secured together, the side walls 1 rising from a pair of oppositely disposed side sills 3 (Figs. l and 2), connected together at the ends of thelcar by means of combined endsills and bumpers, designated generally at 4, and supported by bumperplates 5. The side and end-sills 3 and 4 cornprise the frame structure of the car for supporting the lading body thereof, and between which is a bottom opening designed generally for discharge of the lading therethrough.

The car is supported upon wheels 6 and axles 7 connected with the side sills 3. The wheels 6 are adapted to travel on a track formed by a pair of laterally spaced rails indicated generally at R.

T he car is shown of the character provided with three drop bottom doors adapted for discharge in one-two-three order from front to rear of the car. These doors are designated respectively by the numerals 8, 9 and 10. The forward door 8 is pivotally supported at its forward edge on a hinge rod 11, while each of the middle and rearward doors 9 and 10 is slidably and pivotally mounted on a hinge rod 12 extending between the frame structures at opposite sides of the drop bottom opening. Any other suitable door construction or arrangement may be used as desired.

The extreme forward edge of each of said doors 9 and 10, when in closed or latched position, projects laterally from the hinge rod 12 and is adapted to support the free edge of the next forward door. Then upon release of the rearward door, it may drop suticiently to release the free edge of the middle door which will likewise drop and release the free edge of the forward door. This occurs usually just before the car reaches the tippie or bin, and permits dropping of the forward door in the bin for discharge of the lading thereon, as soon as room eno-ugh is provided in the bin therebeneath. The other doors drop in succession during the continued forward movement of the car over the bin or tipple in one-two-three order from front to rear of the car.

After dumping in passing over the bin or tipple, the doors are adapted to be closed by the usual door-closing rails located in the track. The doors may have indentations 13 in the under faces thereof to ride on the door-` closing rails, which indentations would extend transversely of the doors throughout substantial portions of the width thereof. The doors are th-us moved successively about their hinge rods to their closed positions, and the middle and rearward doors are pushed upward into wedging relation withthe next forward door adapted to be latched in closed position.

The foregoing car structure, to which this invention is shown applied as hereinafter described, is set forth more in detail in the prior patents, No. 2,001,471, May 14, 1935; No. 2,036,644, April 7, 1936; and No. 2,399,708, May 7, l946, to which reference is made for a more complete illustration of the structure thereof.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, provision is made for latching the free edge of the rearward door in closed position, thereby holding the several doors closed, to retain the lading in the car until the latching means is released for dumping. For this purpose, I have provided on the free edge of the rearward door 10, one or more supporting trunnions 14, one for each latch of said door. I prefer to use a pair of latches, each designated generally by the numeral 15 and spaced apart as indicated in Fig. 4, symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center of the car. The latches 15 are pivotally mounted on a cross shaft 1'7 supported by brackets 18 secured to the adjacent bumper plate 5 of the car. Each of the latches 15 is preferably spring-pressed by a spring 18', as to be disposed normally in its door supporting position, or to return thereto automatically when disengaged for release of the lading.

Each of the latches 1S is provided with a seat 19 at the forward face thereof in position to receive the end of the adjacent trunnion 14 attached to thefree edge of the rearward door 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the seat 19 is located on the opposite side of the vertical plane passing through the Apivot aids of the latchlS from the door 10, so that the weight of the door and the lading thereon .secured in place to the track plate 27 by bolts 30.

tends to maintain the latched relation without any tendency for this weight to push the latch to one side.

As shown in Fig. 2 the latches 15 are interposed between the free edge of the rearward door 10 and the adjacent end-sill structure 4, underneath a deliector plate 23 secured to the adjacent end wall 2. The latches 15 are so constructed and arranged that they are disposed wholly above the lower edges of the end-sills 4 of the car, and also, preferably, above the lower face of the rearward door, in protected positions. This prevents disarrangement of the latches or damage thereto in the event of wreckage of the car or from contact with obstructions in the trackway as might occur in a mine, thus assuring adequate protection of the latches to maintain these in proper operative positions.

Each latch 15 is so mounted in protected position between the door 16 and the bumper 4 that a tripping space is provided between said door and the latch 15 inlatched position for entry of a tripping arm therebetween.

To accommodate the tripping mechanism hereniafter described, each latch hook 15 has its forward face, beneath the seat 19, provided with a notch or reentrant portion 25 in a laterally offset or latch release portion 26 of the latch, which notch has upper and lower engaging faces that slope forwardly relative to the length of the car. These faces are adapted to be engaged by the tripping arm, as hereinafter described and as shown in Fig. 2, to release the latch hook from supporting engagement with the door.

The tripping mechanism for the latches 15 is adapted to be mounted in the trackway between the opposite rails R at a point adjacent the bin or other place of dumping. Since the latches 15 are laterally displaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical plane through the center of the car, a tripping device may be provided for each of the respective latches. Separate tripping devices should be provided where the latches are pivotally mounted independently on the cross shaft 17, although one tripping device may be used if the latches are secured to said cross shaft.

In the form shown, the tripping mechanism is mounted preferably on a base 27, shown in the form of a supporting track plate securely mounted in suitable position in the trackway, preferably by being secured, as shown, upon the base anges of the rails R.

Referring to Fig. 4, the track plate 27 is provided with slots or openings 28 therein adapted to receive the tripping devices, one for each latch or latch release member on the conveyance.

Each tripping member is shown as supported by a pair of angle or hanger members 31 which extend down in the slot or opening 28, with the upper flange thereof seated on the base plate 27 and turned outwardly in opposite directions frorn the opening 2S. T hose hanger members 31 are A cover plate 29 extends over the hanger member 31 and over the opening 28 therebetween.

A cross shaft 32 is journaled at opposite ends in the hanger members 31. Fixed securely as by welding or Y otherwise on the cross shaft 32 adjacent opposite endsl thereof are a pair of arms or lever members 33, that extend upwardly from the pivot axis. The free upper ends of the lever members 33 are connected together by a cross plate 34 which is of angular form, as shown in Fig. 2, for a purpose hereinafter to 'be described. A bar` 33 is secured by welding or otherwise on a side of one arm,

naar

Extending in bridging relation between the upper end portions of the lever members 33 is a pivot shaft 39 journaled at opposite ends in said lever members for turning movement relative thereto. This pivot shaft 39 is lo` cated beneath an edge portion of the tie plate 34. An arm 40 is secured rigidly to the pivot shaft 39 and extends downwardly therefrom. A spring 41 is anchored at one end to the arm 40, while its opposite end is connected with a lug 42, attached to the cross shaft 32, normally tending to rotate the shaft 39 in one direction, clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2.

A exible device 43, shown as a chain, extends between the arm 40 and the free lower end of a lever arm 44. The lever arm 44' is supported on a shaft 45 mounted in slots 46 in the brackets 37, capable of up and down movement relative thereto. A lever 44 on the shaft 45 is used to lower the tripping member when it is not desired to trip the latches of a car or other conveyor passing thereover.

The latch tripping member comprises a loop 47 in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4. This loop is shown as formed of a steel bar or rod bent into U-shape, with opposite sides extending through the pivot shaft 39, where it is retained in place by nuts 48 threaded thereon. A locking member 49 overlaps the ends of the sides of the U-shaped or loop-type tripping member, both as a locking device for the nuts and to prevent the downward sliding of the tripping member relative to the pivot shaft 39. The locking device 49 is secured by screws 49, to the pivot shaft 39.

The rod used in forming the tripping member 47 is of relatively small diameter to facilitate its introduction into the space between the latch and the free edge of the door l0, and also to reduce to a minimum the point of contact of this member with the latch release means. In order to prevent undue wear on the tripping member, or breakage thereof in service, at the point of connection with the pivot shaft 39, sleeves 50 are shown as telesccped over the opposite sides of the tripping member 47, and may be secured thereto in any suitable man ner, by welding or otherwise. Each sleeve 50 may be welded at its outer end to a side of the tripping member 47, or it may be welded at its inner end to the pivot shaft 39, or both, or otherwise secured in place to either of these members. These sleeves preferably extend along the length of the tripping member an appreciable distance from the pivot `shaft 39, but terminate at points spaced outwardly an appreciable distance from the closed end of the loop-type tripping member so as not to interfere with the engagement of the latter with the latch or the latch release means. The sleeves 50 are of appreciable thickness and have a relatively close t on the respective sides of the tripping member so as to brace the latter securely and thereby prevent undue wear or breakage in service.

The spring 41 normally tends to maintain the tripping member 47 in the upwardly inclined relation shown in Fig. 2, with the periphery of each sleeve 50 bearing against the free edge of the bridging plate 34 on the upper ends of the lever members 33. This allows the free end or loop portion of the tripping member to be moved upward into the space between the free edge of the rearward door and the latch release means on each of the latches 15, as the car passes over the tripping mechanism, whereby to engage the notch and disengage the latch, substantially as described more in detail in the above-mentioned patent application, Serial No. 161,589, filed May l2, 1950. The sleeves 50 preferably terminate downward suiciently so that normally these sleeves will not be err gaged by the rearward end-sill as the car passes thereover, but the latter will strike the upper end portion of the tripping member above the sleeves 50 and deect this member under the end-sill and bumper structure against the tension of the spring 41. The latter normally yields to the swinging movement of the tripping member 47 so as to hold the free edge of said member in wiping engagef6 ment with ,the bottom portion of the car. However', any excessive pressure acting on 'the tripping member' will cause the lever members 33 to be deflected `downward against the tension of the spring 35 and thereby ensure against breakage in service.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the track plate 27 supports a pair of tripping members 47 adapted to engage a pair of latches or latch release memberson the car in laterally` spaced relation. Both of these tripping devices are identical in structure so far as illustrated in the drawings, and only one has been described in detail, it being understood that the other is intended to be constructed and operate like the one described.

A guard rail is shown also at 51 in Fig. 4, between the pair of tripping devices and extending lengthwise beyond the end of the track plate 27, to receive and support the free edge of the rearward door, if the latter should drop onto the track before the car has cleared the tripping mechanism. The door would drop onto the rail 51 rather than onto the tripping member 47, or other parts of the tripping mechanism, and thus would cause no damage to the latter. It also prevents slippage of lading from the rear door onto the mechanism.

Other forms of loop-type tripping members are shown in Figs. 5 to 10, which may be used in place of that shown at 47, 50 in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the loop-type tripping member 60 has opposite sides formed with widened portions 61 at the points of connection with the pivot shaft 39. A web 62 also extends between the opposite sides of the loop-type tripping member 60 to brace the sides thereof and hold these properly spaced from each other.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the loop-type tripping member is provided by separate side members 63 connected together by a rod 64 at the free ends thereof, opposite from the pivot shaft 39. A web 65 extends between the side members 63 and is welded or otherwise secured rigidly thereto. The side members 63 are provided with hub portions 66 thereon, secured together by bolts 67 extending through the pivot shaft 39.

In the further modification shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the loop-type tripping member 68 is formed of a rod bent into U-shape and having its opposite sides inserted transversely through the pivot shaft 39. A U-shaped brace member 69 extends outward from the pivot shaft 39, to which it is secured by bolts 70. The outer ends of the brace member 69 are held spaced apart by a web 71 welded or otherwise secured thereto, and the opposite .sides of the member 69 are also welded or otherwise secured to the tripping member 68.

These modified forms of tripping members will function substantially as described above in connection with the tripping member 47 and may be substituted for the latter.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in certain embodiments, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

l. Latch tripping mechanism adapted to be mounted in a trackway for releasing latch means of a drop bottom door on a conveyance, said tripping mechanism comprising a tripping arm including a substantially U-shaped loop having a portion connecting opposite sides in position to engage the latch means, a pivot shaft having the opposite sides of the loop extending transversely therethrough, fastenings on the ends of the opposite sides, an elongated lock member secured intermediate the ends thereof to the pivot shaft and extending in overlapping relation at opposite ends with the fastenings of the opposite sides of the loop member.

2. Latch tripping mechanism adapted to be mounted in a trackway for releasing latch means of a drop bottom door on a conveyance, said tripping mechanism comprising a tripping arm including a substantially U-shaped manga/1:.

loop having a portion connecting opposite sides in posi tion to engage the latch means, a pivot shafthaving the opposite sides of the loop extending transversely therethrough, sleeves telescoped over the opposite sidesl of the loop in abutting relation with the pivot shaft and extending outwardly therefrom along said opposite sides toward the closed side of the loop in bracing relation with said opposite sides adjacent the pivot shaft, fastenings on 'the ends of the opposite sides, and an elongated lock member secured intermediate the ends thereof to the pivot shaft References Cited in the. ile of this patent n.

NITED STATES PATENTS Townsend `Mar. 18, Jones Q.- Feb. 23, l'Dietriehson v r May 5, Kepner Nov. 8, Sanford Sept. 12, Linville Dec. 16, Dorland Nov. 24, Sanford Apr. 13, 

